Sustaining The Herd

You may have heard of high-tech collars and invisible fences for dogs, but what about cattle? Virtual fence is changing the landscape (quite literally) when it comes to containing cattle and managing grazing. Andrew and Brock are joined by special guest Kaitlyn Dozler-German with the University of Missouri Center for Regenerative Agriculture, where she works as the Virtual Fence Grazing Program Ma...

What if crop producers could do more with less while increasing profit and being better stewards of the environment? That's exactly what Sentinel Ag helps producers accomplish when it comes to nitrogen management. Andrew and Brock are joined in the studio by Jackson Stansell, Founder and CEO of Sentinel Ag. Jackson shares how he and his team utilize satellite imagery to evaluate in-season nit...

Where do you start when planning a manure system? Join Andrew and Brock as they answer this question and ask many more as they discuss outcome-based manure system planning. While it's important to "begin with the end in mind" and identify objectives for the planning of a manure system, it's just as important to begin with the reason it's needed in the first place - which i...

The saying "you can't manage what you don't measure" rings particularly true in agriculture. Andrew and Brock sit down with Steve Tippery of RealmFive to discuss how Steve and his team bring solutions to the ag industry to do just that - measure and track equipment, commodities, and processes across agricultural operations. RealmFive pairs hardware (sensors and tracking devices...

"Build a robot so I don't ever have to go into a grain bin again." That's what a Nebraska farmer told Chad Johnson several years ago. On this episode of Sustaining The Herd, Brock sits down with Chad Johnson of Grain Weevil. Chad and his team have set out to build robots to keep humans out of grain bins, as well as many other types of confined commodity storage spaces. These ro...

As the saying goes, if you don’t monitor it, you don’t manage it. This is surely the case with anaerobic digesters. Jenny Pronto of BioProcess Analytics is an expert when it comes to AD biology and biochemical processes. From biomethane potential to digestate, Jenny breaks down the anaerobic digestion process, talks about testing and monitoring, and shares some sage advice for developers and opera...

What's the outlook for young and aspiring agricultural producers today? This is a loaded question, so Andrew and Brock brought in some high-powered guests to come up with an answer. Back by popular demand, Nick Maaske makes his third appearance on Sustaining The Herd! Nick is joined in the studio by his colleague Caleb Dickes. Nick and Caleb are members of the team at Settje Agri-Services and...

Who will take over the family farm when Grandpa retires? How much land or money will each family member receive? Will everyone still get along and want to see each other on holidays? Andrew and Brock set out to tackle these questions and many more as they sit down in the studio with Jimmy Hagge of Hutchinson & Associates. Jimmy works every day with agricultural producers to build and execute a...

What is sustainability in the agriculture industry? Does it have the same meaning today as it did five years ago? Join Andrew and Brock as they work to tackle these questions and more when it comes to what sustainability really means in agriculture. They cover some ground as they talk about the three-legged stool of sustainability, the beef and dairy industries, and technology/automation. Get read...

Spring has been busy and summer is gearing up to be no different. Andrew and Brock have been "on the trail" with business travel and working diligently on projects. Join Brock as he shares what he and Andrew have been up to lately, in addition to taking a look back at recent episodes. Don't worry, guests will be back soon! Tune in for this "summer roundup" edition of Susta...

Andrew and Brock were on the air last week to share what they were looking forward to at Biogas Americas 2026. Well, they've returned home from a whirlwind week in Detroit and are ready to talk about it all! Join The Herd as Andrew and Brock sit down to recap their conference experience and look ahead through the lens of what they learned. They even share an exciting announcement for the beef...

Do you know where Andrew and Brock will be at the time this episode is published? They'll be in Detroit at the American Biogas Council's flagship conference called Biogas Americas! Join the conversation as Andrew and Brock discuss what they're looking forward to in Detroit. They cover everything from networking to seeking answers to some of the industry's most burning questions...

You've likely heard of the S&P 500 index. Well, this episode may not be about that, but it comes close! Andrew and Brock are joined by Lassana Fisiru of S&P Global Energy, where Lassana is a Senior Pricing Specialist covering renewable natural gas (RNG) in North America. While we typically talk a lot about anaerobic digestion, this episode addresses the end product of the digestion pr...

Cattle handling is more than chutes and alleys - it's all about moving cattle safely and efficiently. Join Andrew and Brock for Sustaining The Herd's 50th birthday as they sit down with their colleague Jake Mayer, a Professional Engineer at Settje Agri-Services and Engineering. Jake has designed many cattle handling facilities and doesn't hold back as he shares what works and what d...

Begin with the end in mind...especially when it comes to anaerobic digestion projects. Join Andrew and Brock in the studio as they take a deep dive on considerations for the development of anaerobic digestion projects. These projects are complex and capital-intensive, so it's important to get things right from the start. Andrew and Brock discuss various aspects of project feasibility, local a...

Andrew and Brock sit down with Eric Dinger of Landoption to dig into how every piece of land can be leveraged to produce revenue while monetizing sustainability efforts. Eric and his team have built a platform trusted advisors can use to help producers and landowners discover the earning potential of their land. Carbon credits, conservation easements, wildlife programs - it's all on the table...

Agriculture has the unfortunate distinction of being one of the world’s most hazardous occupations.  Confined spaces like anaerobic digester tanks are particularly dangerous.  Our guest Jared Burma is doing his part to make cleaning confined spaces safer.  Jared and his team at Bristola have developed technology that enables them to clean ADs with a remote control vehicle while keeping the AD syst...

What do you get when you pair scientific research with real-world farmer know-how? You get the Nebraska On-Farm Research Network! Join Andrew and Brock as they sit down with Adam Leise, who serves as Director of the Nebraska On-Farm Research Network. Adam shares how he and his team work with agricultural producers across Nebraska to address real research questions that come up in the field. He tal...

How much does it cost? What does it do? Will I be satisfied with this investment decision? You might find yourself asking questions like these when evaluating a new technology, product, or innovation to potentially adopt on your farm. Join Andrew and Brock as they discuss some common considerations to address when evaluating technologies. A primary consideration? Whether a technology or innovation...

Crepuscular: appearing or active in twilight.  How can dairy producers benefit by understanding the crepuscular behavior of cows?  Ask Dr. Gordie Jones.  From veterinarian in private practice to dairy farmer to acclaimed international dairy consultant, Gordie has seen a lot throughout his 50 year career in the dairy industry—from his earliest days solving milk quality issues related to hand milkin...

Season 3 is just getting started, and we're already on a roll...roller compacted concrete, that is! Join Andrew and Brock as they sit down with a guest who's back by popular demand (and because he has a lot of great knowledge to share). Zach Settje, Chief Operating Officer of Settje Agri-Services and Engineering, joins The Herd to share all about roller compacted concrete, also known as...

Episode 42 looks back at Season 2 of Sustaining The Herd. Join Andrew and Brock as they give an episode-by-episode recap of the season's highlights. Want to learn more about an episode or new to Sustaining the Herd? Jump to the episodes that interest you the most. Settje Agri-Services and Engineering would like to say thank you to our guests and listeners for being part of "The Herd&quot...

Manure is a resource. It is also potentially a pollutant and certainly not a “waste”. Brock and Andrew visit with Dr. Amy Schmidt (a.k.a. The Manure Lady), Professor of Animal Manure Management in the Department of Biological Systems Engineering at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to talk about manure management from a university researcher and extension engineer’s perspective. Amy shares insigh...

How has manure management evolved over the years? Sit down with Andrew and Brock to answer this question and many more as they're joined by Mark Stoermann of Newtrient to discuss all things related to dairy manure management and anaerobic digestion. Founded in 2015, Newtrient’s mission is to reduce the environmental footprint of U.S. dairy and make it economically viable to do so. Mark shares...

Livestock production doesn't look the same as it did 75 years ago - why might that be? Innovation! Join Andrew and Brock as they take a glance back at the past, assess the present, and look ahead to the future of animal agriculture and agriculture in general. There are many aspects of livestock production that have come a long way over the years but could still benefit from further developmen...